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Friday, October 22, 2010

Graham Crowden: R.I.P.

ACTOR Graham Crowden, well known for his work on TV and film, died this week at the age of 87. The Edinburgh-born star appeared in TV comedy shows such as A Very Peculiar Practice and Waiting For God. He also appeared in the cult 1968 movie If… and James Bond adventure For Your Eyes Only.

In 1990, he appeared as a lecherous peer in the BBC comedy Don't Wait Up and in 1991, he played a modest role in the Rumpole of the Bailey episode "Rumpole and the Quacks", portraying Sir Hector MacAuliffe, the head of a medical inquest into the potential sexual misconduct on the part of Dr. Ghulam Rahmat (portrayed by Saeed Jaffrey). It was the role he landed in 1990 as the leading character of Tom Ballard in the sitcom Waiting for God opposite Stephanie Cole's character Diana Trent, as the two rebellious retirement home residents, that made him a household name. The show ran for four years and was a major success. One of my favorites!

In 2001, he guest-starred in the Midsomer Murders episode "Ring Out Your Dead" and also played The Marquis of Auld Reekie in The Way We Live Now. In 2003, he made a cameo appearance as a sadistic naval school teacher in The Lost Prince. In 2005, he starred in the BBC Radio 4 sci-fi comedy Nebulous as Sir Ronald Rolands. In 2008, he appeared as a guest star in Foyle's War.

A great actor! Maybe he's just off in one of his 'alternate' realities.

He also was offered the title role of Doctor Who in 1974, when Jon Pertwee left the role, but turned it down. He did however appear in one serial - The Horns of Nimon (1979). In 2005, he starred in the BBC Radio 4 Sci-Fi Comedy Nebulous.